Why You Should Always Travel With a Portable Fan

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Yesterday’s tip was about how I always pack a beanie or a toque (as my Canadian wife likes to call it) in my carry-on bag. I keep it in my bag regardless of the time of year or how hot the destination is because it’s not meant for on the ground but in-flight. Most of the time, cabin temperatures are cold. And if you’re curious why airplanes are generally so cold (there’s actually a medical reason for it), you’ll have to read yesterday’s story

Anyhow, after reading yesterday’s tip, a reader sent me a comment saying that she’d just flown from Thailand to Japan and her plane was crazy hot. I’m sure we’ve all experienced that as well. Which reminded me of another item I always have in my carry-on bag: A portable fan.

I didn’t even know these mini portable fans existed until a friend, who’s a travel writer, told me about it. He said he always travels with one because his body temperature always runs hot. Shortly after that conversation, I was on a flight between Naples and Venice in August and the plane was unbearably hot while we sat on the ground. I ordered a portable fan as soon as I got to my hotel.

There are a bunch of travel fans to choose from but mine (the Breeze Mobile) doesn’t take up much space, doesn’t cost a lot, is virtually silent, has a gooseneck so it can be adjusted to a variety of positions, and doesn’t require batteries. It plugs into a USB port so I use either my laptop or a portable charger (I recommend this.)

However, it’s worth noting, that after my wife read this article, she said she prefers something a little more stylish and modern looking, like this one, which is compact, can be folded three different ways and is also a flashlight.

Here are some other options of portable fans to consider.